WhatsApp Channels Get Polls, Voice Notes, Support for Multiple Admins

WhatsApp Channels will now be more interactive and personal, with the ability for owners and admins to post polls and voice notes. They are also going to be easier for brand and business owners to manage, as multiple administrators can now be appointed to post content and keep a channel running across time zones or shifts. Another new feature is the ability for channel subscribers to publish posts to their own WhatsApp statuses. These changes bring Channels more in line with the group messaging experience and also give channel owners more flexibility in how they interact with their audiences and keep them engaged.

In a short post on his own broadcast channel, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg introduced the changes and published his own poll about video games. The features have all been recently rumoured or reported to be in development. It is not yet clear how soon these features will roll out to all WhatsApp users.

Polls can be used to gather feedback, check opinions and keep fans of a brand or personality engaged. In beta tests, channel admins had the ability to allow users to select only one option or multiple ones. Users can’t see who else has participated or what they have voted for, only the total number of responses for each option. As per WABetaInfo, even admins can’t see who has voted for each option, which means anonymity and security are prioritised over profiling subscribers. It is possible that more options and poll types will be added in the future.

Voice notes allow channel owners to broadcast messages with a more personal touch. In addition to text, photos and videos, voice notes can help an owner express their thoughts or just send quick updates. A voice note transcription feature might also be in development, which would help with accessibility and convenience for those unable to play or listen to audio.

The ability to appoint multiple admins means that channel owners can delegate tasks to different people, keep the channel running smoothly even when one person is unavailable, make sure content is moderated promptly, and keep audiences engaged even across time zones. People must accept an invitation to become a channel administrator, and can’t just be appointed. Letting users share channel content as a WhatsApp status is another way to attract subscribers and increase engagement.